Anti-thumb-sucking device



May 18 1Q26. V 1,584,999

w. M. THOMPSON ANTI-THUMB-SUCKING DEVICE Filed Oct. 13. 1924 scribed and claimed.

.. thereto how "the flexible securing element gaging member, this View being proximately on theline i -d or i 1g. 1;

Patented islet; l 1926.

. wxmmr; Moose recurs n. or elease tee-tressnnrrrnunassez-zme Davies.

Application filed October 13, 1824.

My present invention relates to improve ments in antithumb sucking devices, and the "main obj set of my invention is the PlOY-lSlOIl l on consists in the conmir and arral-igemepts of parts llGlQlllil'. 7'

'ihe inrentionwill est understeocl reference to the accompanying draw ngs wl h,

elevation with my improved device applied Qrepresents an elevation of the back of a hand showing my improvements as applied thereto;

Fig. '3 is a fragmentary View, illustrating may, after passing around the wrist be secured upon itself "in various adjusted positions;

Fig. 4' isj-an end yiew of the thumb enta ken ap- Fig. 5, is'a detail View, illustrating in particular the angular divergence of the fier ible connections for thethimblc at the front .or palm side of the thumb; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged end view of the thimble.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the accompanying drawing 1ncludes a thumb engaging member, referred to generally at 7, and consisting of a split ring 8 formed with spaced apart radial projections 9 of the form best show-11in Fig. l. Each ofthe radial projectiohsQ provided at its outer or free'end with an aperture-10. Where the extremities ll of the split ring overlap as "shownt'here is no radial projeclion 9, but the overlapping ends are preferably formed with outwardly projecting flanges 12 which come in sliding engagement, one over the other, and which are proyided with apertures 13, designed to register and to receive means (not shown) for securing together the extremities of the split ring in the adjusted position desired.

14" denotes as a whole a thimble member which is designed to envelop the tip porforming a part of this specification, and in n ig'l represents a hand in front'or pahn' sisting of a chain.

Serial No. 748,297.

tion 15 of the thumb member as 1 6. This thimble member 18 preferably made in the skeleton form shown, the same comprising a tip ring 17 which fits on the end of the thumb and from which project over the thumb towards the joint 18 thereof radial strips 1-9 to which is-attached by means of so otherwise a ring portion 20. This thnnhle member is preferably stamped from a blank of material so as to produceihe tip 1? and the radially extending strips :19; of which two strips in opposed relation are made longer than the others sothat they may he bent outwardly upon themselves alongside of the ring or band 20 n order to produce leops 21 and 22 with which the flexible connections may he engaged as will presently loop .21, with another circular link 26 carried on the extremity of a securing chain 2'] which is passedabout the wrist of tee wearer I and is thence engaged with itself, hen g for this purpose proyidedwitha hook member 28 of a size adapted to beengaged with any one of the links making up the chain. lhc flexible connection "2e extends ashes-t shown in Fig. 2 longitudinally of the thumb upon the back thereof and is passed through an aperture 10'of aradialprojection 9. To the loop 22, which comes directly opposite the loop :21, there is applied .a circular link lS with which I are engaged the V extremities of ,a flexible connection 30," also preferably con- This flexible connection extends through an aperture 10 ofa radial projection '9, thence through the, circular 11in; 26 and thence through the aperture of another radial projection 9, the said flexible member preferably passing through the apertures of the radial projections which mentioned extending along the back of the,

thumb longitudinally thereof and supported upon the thumb engaging ring, while the second mentioned extends in diverging relation from the front or palm side of the thumb to the thumb engaging ring on the sides whereof it is supported and thence continues in converging relation to the circular link 26 through which it passes. By means of this arrangement the thumb is provided with means which soon discourages the infant in its practice, and at the same time it is free to he flexed without restraint in any natural direction. in Fig. 3 the securing chain 27 is illustrated as being passed around the wrist of the wearer, then being passed about or tied upon itself before the hook 28 is engaged in a link. Obviously, before the hook is engaged with a link, the chain may be drawn or tied upon itself with a degree of tightness desired. In this man nor the chain may be readily adjusted upon the hands of infants which differ considerably in size.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carryin my invention into effect, this is capable or variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a thumb engaging ring, a thimble for the tip of the thumb, and chains extending from the thimble to the ring for holding the thimble in operative position, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a thumb engaging ring, a thimble for the tip of the thumb, and means for engaging the wrist to hold said ring and thimble in operative position, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a thumb engaging ring, of a thimble for the tip of the thumb, apertured projections on said ring, and chains on the thimble taken through the apertures of the ring and adapted to be fastened on the wrist, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a ring having radial projections, with openings, a thimble member, connections between said thimble member and said radial projections, and means consisting of a continuation common to said connections, adapted to be connected around the wrist of the wearer, substantially as described.

The combination of a ring having projections with openings therein, a thimble member. flexible connections attached to the thimble member and passing through said openings and having a common connection adapted to pass around the wrist of the wearer. substantially as described.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a ring having radial projections with openings therein, of a thimble member adapted to envelop the tip of the thumb and having integral loops thereon, flexible connections engaged in said loops and extending through the openings in said radial projections, and a flexible wrist encircling element with which said flexible connections are engaged at one point, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a split ring having projections with openings therein, said ring being adapted to encircle the thumb behind the first joint thereof, of a thimble member adapted to envelop the tip of the thumb and provided with loops, flexible connections engaged in said loops and extending through said openings, and a securing arrangement with which the flexible connections are conneeted, adapted to be clasped about the wrist of the wearer, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a ring having lateral projections with openings therein, of a thimble member adapted to envelop the tip of the thumb and having oppositely disposed loops, a securing element with a link, a chain having its extremities attached to one of said loops passing through two of said openings and through said link, and a chain connecting the opposite loop with said link, said last mentioned chain passing through an opening approximately equally distant from the openings through which said first chain passes, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WlLLlAM MOORE THOMPSON, M. D. 

